Air vent and pressure fitting for liquid containers



. G. P. SORENSEN AIR VENT AND PRESSURE FITTING FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed Oct. 29, 1923 Patented Aug; 14, 1928.

raTENT (OFFICE,

GEOfiGE r. SOBJENSEN, or oiircaeo, iLLINois'.

VENT Essen Ermine roe LIQUID commune.

Ap lica ion filed octane: 29, 1923; Serial no. 671,331.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improvement in portable containers carrying thick of viscous liquids such as heavy oil, the improved construction being designed to facilitate pouring the contents from receptaclef t consists of certain features and-elements in combination with there'ceptacle as herein shown and described andas indicated by the claims, In the drawings? Fig'iire 1 is aside'elevation of; the receptacle fitted with an air vent' and attached to an air pump to facilitate theem'ptying of the receptacle in accordance withthis invention. p

Figure 2 is a transverse detail section of the i'efeptacle showing in elevation a yoke fitting carryinga punch and a vent nipple; Figure 3 is a t-ransverseydetai'l section taken substantially on line"3 3 on Figure 1, showing the yoke andnipp'le in position ready for use'after the vent has been made inthe top of the container." Figii're 4 is a detail section showing 'a modified arrangement of the unch.

Figure 5 is a detail section s 'i'owing' a permanently applied vent nipple; p

Figure, 6is a detailsectionshowingthe application of the" yoke device to the recepta cle by clamping it-against the handle. 'lhereceptacle, 1, shown in the drawings may be understood as the usual type of tin can used for marketing various litf uids such as oil, syrup, molasses, paintand the like and the present invention is particularly adapted for use wherethe material is quite viscous or softhic'k thatit willnot readily permit air to bubble" through it,-gtransmis'-' sion oil for automobiles being of this nature. In such cases when asingle discharge out let is" providedin the top ofth'e can', 1 it is found difliciilt to"pour the contents because ittendsto clog the outlet and prevent the entrance of air which would relieve the partial vacuum otherwise formedwhen the can is tipped forpouring. My invention therefore provi'des a second Opening in the top Wall in the nature of an air vent laterally removed from the discharge opening by some distance so as to give access to the atmosphere above the level of the liquid in the can when the latter is tilted for pouring. A handle or bail, 43, is secured to the top wall of the receptacle in a usual manner. Figure 1 shows a combination s at and closure cap comprising a spout tu 2, extending from a threaded base, 3,to fit the flanged discharge opening and carrying a closure cap, 4,to repl ace the fitting, 3, when the spout is not in use I find it convenient not only to provide an air vent but to actually force air into the container, 1, as through a flexible hose, 5, extending from a portable air pump, 6, shown in Figure 1.

For fitting up an ordinary commercial can with my improvement I provide a metal yoke, 7, having downwardly extending and inturne'd end portions, 8, formed to hook under the slightly flared rim flange, a-or the can as shown iirFigure 2 for holding the yoke in place on the can. Some types of cans have a relatively largetop area which necessitates the holding of the yoke on the top of the can in a slightly different manner, as illus'trated in Figure 6," and which will be hereinafter described. In the yoke a punch,

10, is guided for movement toward the top wall of the carrand is provided with a retracting spring, 11, disposed between its head and the yoke, 7, so that by use of a hammer as at B thep1'1n'ch may be driven through the top wall formin'gan aperture,

12', and'will be withdrawn immediately by its spring, 11", Near the other end of the yoke, 7, 111 3; threaded apertiiretherein, I provide a threaded nipple, 13, whose axis is at the same distance from the mid-point or the yoke as that of the punch, 10. Thusby reversing the yoke end forend as shown in Figure 3 I bring the nipple, 13, into regis trat i'on with the opening, 12, and by grasping its enlarged portion or head, 14,1 can adjust the nipple toyvard the top of the can. By i nterposing one or more packing washers, 1 5, between the head, 14, and the top wal'l, am thusable to 'form' asubstantia'lly air} tight joint withthe' receptacle. When the can isnot in usethe ni'ppl'e,'13", may beclosed with an ordinary screw cap such as" that shown in-Figu r'efi at 32;

WVit-h the device ap lied as shownat Figure 3 tl'iepohring o 'the'liquid is greatly iacilitate'chby connecting to the threaded nipple, 13, an ordinary the pump, 6, and introducing a small amount of air not necessarily under any considerable pressure but in ample quantityto assist the flow of the heavy liquid from the spout, 2, into the filler opening at A or wherever directed.

Figure 4 shows a slight modification of the invention in which I dispense with the permanently guided punch member, 10, and

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provide ,simply a nail, 21, vhose point, 22, serves to perforate the top wall of the can and for which the bore of the nipple, 23, serves as an adequate guide. A packing washer, 25, corresponding-to the washer, 15, is shown clamped betweenthe head, 24, of the nipple, 23, and thetop wallof the can, this adjustment being tightened if the punching operation should stretch the wall iofthe-can" slightly away from the yoke bar, 20. .Preferablyin marketing. the device'the nailwis attachedloosely to thebar, 20,.by means of a wire,26, but after the perforating operation the nail may be thrown. away.

In Figure I have illustrated a permanently attached nipple, 30, preferably soldered' at 31 .in the top wall of the can and providedv with aclosure cap 32, this being the preferred formof vent fitting when the rent is applied in the process of manufacturing the can itself.

Figure 6 shows a method of attaching a vent nipple, 13, to a can, 1", having a bail or handle, 43, extending over its top wall. Figure 6 also illustrates the method ofattaehing the yoke, 7, to the top of a can Whose top area is relatively large and which will notpermit the engagement of the flanged edges as in Figures "2 and 3. In this case the ends, 8" ofthe yoke bar, 7, rest upon said top wall and the port is initially positioned by means of a set screw, 40, threaded into the bar, 7, at its midpoint with its knurled head, 41, accessible at both sides of the handle, 43*, and with its pointed center, e2, impinging against the under side of saidhandle and preferably indenting it. This will permit the punch, 10, to be first used for making the'vcnt aperture at 44 and will then insure thatwhen the bar, 7, is reversed end forend and the center point, 42, is again engaged with the indentation in the handle, 43 the .vent fitting, 13, will register with the aperture, i4;

It will be understood that the yoke, together with the punch and nipple is applicable for use with cans in either the manner illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3,01 in Figure fiwithout alteration. For purposes of manufacture, the yoke may always be provided with the set screw, 40, sothat it may be readily aflixed to either type of can.

I claim 1. In combination 'withja portable receptacle the top wall of which is provided with a, discharge ppeningn nea r ,theputer edge thereof and an air vent laterally spaced .fromwsaid discharge opening, a yoke provided with means for engaging the receptacle and a threaded .nipple carried by threads'in the yoke for adjustment toward and from the top wall of the receptacle in registration with the vent.

2. In the combination defined in claim 1, said-nipple having a head at its-lower end and. apacking washer interposed between said head and the top wall of the receptacle.

3. In combination with a portable receptacle the top wall of which is provided with a discharge opening adjacent the outer edge thereof, a yoke shiftable into any one of a plurality ofposit-ions on the top of said receptacle, a threaded nipple carriedin, the

yokefor adjustment toward and from the top wall of, the receptacle and a punch guided in said yoke for movement toward said top wall for forming a vent aperture therein with which, aperture the nipple may i whereby after perforation of the top wall I byv the punch the yoke maybe reversed end for end to bring the nipple into registration with thevent aperture formed in said wall.

'6. Incombination with ,a portable receptacle havinga discharge opening at the top i and a handle extending over its top wall, togetherwith an air vent formed in said top wall, abar having down-turned end portions adapted to rest on said top wall with the bar extending under said handle, a threaded nipple carried in the bar for adjustment toward and from said top wall in registration with the air vent and means for securing said bar firmly between said top wall and the handle. i v y j 7. In the combination definedin claim 6, said securing means comprising a set screw carried the bar adjustable upwardly therefrom to impinge against the handle.

In'testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 25th day of October, 1923.

I 'GEOB GE P. SORENSEN. 

